29 7.2: Early Christian Art After Constantine – Imperial Christian Art

EARLY CHRISTIAN ART AFTER CONSTANTINE: IMPERIAL CHRISTIAN ART

Constantine became the sole emperor of the Roman empire after it had been divided (the Tetrarchy). He credited his victory over his rival Maxentius to the Christian God. Although Constantine did not become a Christian until his deathbed in 337 CE, he paid for numerous Christian churches and aided in its spread and adoption by powerful individuals. With imperial power behind it, Christian art and architecture took on a different character. Given its grander nature and association with the ruler of Rome, it is often referred to as Imperial Christian Art.

Detail of Jerusalem from the Map of Madaba, a sixth-century Mosaic from St. George’s Church, Madaba, present day Israel. The mosaic depicts buildings erected under Constantine, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built in 335 C.E. Public Domain.

EARLY CHRISTIAN IMPERIAL ARCHITECTURE

Prior to the Edict of Milan Christian worship took place in houses that are referred to as house churches. This form of gathering is mentioned in several places in the New Testament and the house church at Dura Europos documents their existence. During the reign of Constantine, the need for Christians to have their own public places of worship came to the fore.

One of the first churches that Constantine sponsored was Old St. Peter’s in Rome (the building is underneath the current church). It became a model for Christian architecture for nearly a millennium. In selecting the style of architecture for the new Christian church, architects turned to a building type already in the Roman repertoire: the basilica.

 

Fresco showing a cutaway of Old St. Peter’s Basilica as it appeared in the 4th century. Public Domain.

The Early Christian Basilica TASK 1

The videos in this section examine the architectural features of the basilica and the appropriateness of it for a Christian house of worship. After watching the videos, please answer the accompanying questions.

Interior of the Basilica of Saint Sabina, showing the colonnaded rectangular plan of Roman basilicas. Constructed 432 C.E. It is still in use and is the headquarters of the Dominican Order. Credit: Wikimedia user Sailko, CC BY 3.0.

Early Christian church architecture: the Basilica

Basilica of Santa Sabina, Rome

The Early Christian Basilica TASK 1 prompts:

What was the basilica in the Roman world?

Why was it an appropriate model for a Christian place of worship?

What are the main parts of the basilica plan?

What is the significance of the orientation of the new Christian church?

Which feature would be added by Christian architects and would give the building a cross-like appearance?

How would these have been decorated?

IMPERIAL MOSAICS

In ancient Greek and Roman art, mosaics were typically used as flooring. Tiny pieces of stone or tesserae were embedded in a filler. In the Early Christian period mosaics of stone and glass adorned the walls and apses of churches. Filled with scenes from the Old and New Testament and images of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and saints mosaics both provided a sumptuous backdrop for worship but also educated viewers on Christian teaching.

File:Santa Costanza. Mosaic del S. VII “Traditio Legis”.JPG
Mosaic from Santa Constanza, Rome, C. 4th century C.E. The mosaic depicts “Traditio Legis,” or, Christ giving the law to Saints Peter and Paul. Credit: Wikimedia user Emv. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Santa Pudenziana TASK 1

Once Christianity became legal and grew in popularity, architecture was not the only thing to change. With more powerful patrons and a public setting, the character of the imagery changed. Before the Edict of Milan, artistic scenes were often merged in a piecemeal fashion to emphasize a particular theme, like salvation. As the repertoire of images grew, intricate programs were created. Along with a greater complexity and sophistication, the way Christ was represented also changed. After reading the short essay, please answer the accompanying questions.

Mosaic of Christ enthroned, Santa Pudenziana, Rome. The church was built in the 4th century, while the mosaic was finished in 420 C.E. Credit: Steven Zucker. CC BY-NC-SA.

Santa Pudenziana article (read for for TASK). 

Santa Pudenziana

Santa Pudenziana TASK 1 prompts:

What was the physical focal point of the church?

How does the image of Christ resemble the emperor?

How is the idea of triumph emphasized?

Compare and contrast the image of Christ at Santa Pudenziana and the St. Domatilla Catacomb?

How did art fundamentally change after Constantine?

Galla Placidia TASK 1

The city of Ravenna in Italy has more Early Christian and Byzantine mosaics than anywhere in the world. The video explores one of the monuments there and discusses the importance of the city.

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Good Shepherd Mosaic, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, built between 425 and 450 C.E. in Ravenna, Italy. Credit: Petar Milošević. CC BY-NC 4.0.

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna

Galla Placidia TASK 1 prompts:

Describe the importance of Ravenna at the end of the Roman empire in the West?

Why was Galla Placidia so significant?

What was the function of the building?

Which aspects are still Roman in origin?

Which characteristics are naturalistic, and which are not?

Further reading:  “Constantine’s stamp on early Christian art,” by Roderick Conway Morris, New York Times. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/02/arts/constantines-stamp-on-early-christian-art.html

 

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Survey of Western Art History I Copyright © 2022 by Amy Morris is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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